RoadVitals

2021 Honda Accord Hybrid Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
15
Latest Aug 1, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
32%
of 47 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming driver-assistance

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Aug 1, 2025

While I was driving on the freeway, the car brakes hard on its own when there were no cars in front of me. This happened twice. Thankfully there were no cars behind me either, otherwise I might have gotten into an accident

NHTSA ID
11677786
Incident
Mar 3, 2025
Driver assistance
Filed May 9, 2025

Since the first winter after I purchased my vehicle in 2021, typically when cold, but not always, I lose all the Honda Sensing (Advanced Driver Assist Features). The dashboard lights up with the following warnings . - Collision Mitigation Braking System Problem. See Dealer - Road Departure Mitigation System Problem. See Dealer - Auto High Beam Problem. See Dealer - Adaptive Cruise Control System Problem. See Dealer - Lane Keep Assist System Problem. See Dealer This failure of these safety systems can last anywhere from 5-60 minutes. Sometimes if you shut the vehicle off and turn it back on again, the warning will go away. On multiple cold mornings (below ~45°F), my 2021 Accord Hybrid displays a cascade of safety system failure warnings upon startup. The dash shows errors for the collision mitigation braking, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, road departure mitigation, and more—all at once. When these systems are disabled, it severely compromises safety. This issue happens repeatedly in colder weather. The dealer has personally witnessed the issue in their service bay and acknowledged it's a known problem but had no fix, advising me to turn the car off and on again. This recurring failure of critical safety systems in cold conditions puts me, my passengers, and other road users at risk.

NHTSA ID
11659893
Incident
May 9, 2025
Driver assistance
Filed Nov 16, 2024

I just got off the freeway and coasted down the off-ramp, did not engage the brake nor the acceleration pedals. Suddenly the emergency brake system slammed on the brakes, it slowed me down from about 50 mph to around 20mph. There were no vehicles in front of me for at least 100 yards. It almost caused an accident by the people who almost slammed into the back of me.

NHTSA ID
11625686
Incident
Nov 16, 2024
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed May 8, 2024

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed with the cruise control activated, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a recurring failure. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 40,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ID
11587647
Incident
May 8, 2024
Mileage
40,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 11, 2024

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving 50-55 MPH, the collision mitigation braking system engaged inadvertently while there were no vehicles nearby, and the vehicle decelerated to 20-25 MPH abruptly. The brake warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The dealer was notified of the failure, and an unknown software update was performed; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID
11576727
Incident
Mar 11, 2022
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 13, 2023

My daughter was driving the vehicle on the highway, probably 65 mph. she said that a sheet shaped piece of metal struck the front bumper. It is not clear if this was on the road or fell from the car. It seems to have happened fast. the vehicle sustained no obvious body damage but the frame and bracket holding the milliwave radar module were damaged. The milliwave module was intact. the cover for the milliware radar module was missing. This car has not been in a collision. The dealer wants over $2,000 to replace all the components including the milliwave radar. They say it is probably broken. If the existing module is reinstalled, they say it may not work. I was not able to download the estimate for repair. Does this happen often or is there a design defect?

NHTSA ID
11526871
Incident
Jun 11, 2023
Driver assistance
Filed May 12, 2023

I was driving north on 95 in Massachusetts going about 75 mph and the forward collision avoidance went off (flashing break waring in the dashboard) slowing my car down to under 50 mph. There were NO vehicles or obstacles in front of me. This keeps happening and it's only a matter of time until I get rear-ended. I reported this to Honda and they said it's just the safety features.... I had one person at Honda admit this was a know issue in the service departments but American Honda isn't acknowledging this as a know issue or problem. There is NO way this should be happening- it's dangerous.

NHTSA ID
11521635
Incident
May 12, 2023
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 24, 2023

Numerous times, at least 20 up to now, while cruising at high speed on the highway using adaptive cruise control, the car has abruptly slammed on the brakes or slowed down several mph, with no traffic in front of me. There has been traffic in adjacent lanes but never in front of me.

NHTSA ID
11513562
Incident
Mar 2, 2023
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Jan 20, 2023

On 4 separate occasions, the first on December 22, 2022, my Accord began losing power and acceleration while driving on the highway. The engine light began flashing but never came on steadily, and no message displayed. On a couple of occasions it was raining a bit, and at other times the weather was dry. Each time, I pulled the car over to the side of the road; before turning off the engine, I noticed the engine was loud and the car was shaking a bit. After a minute, I turned the car on and it operated normally, with no flashing engine light. I brought the car to a local Honda dealership after the first incident, but they were unable to locate any codes to make a repair. I am reluctant to use the car in any congested highway area such as New York or Boston (both I visit regularly to see family) because of losing power on a busy highway, so it is a safety issue that affects the use of my car, which is less than two years old with approximately 33,000 miles of use. After 3 more incidents, I brought the car back to the dealership today (and it happened on the way to the dealership, as well). I told the dealer that I found a reference on the internet to a Honda repair bulletin, A21-O52, that described the exact problem my car is experiencing. The dealership just told me that the repair bulletin does not apply to my car as my car is a Hybrid. They want to keep the car to keep driving it and replicate the problem.

NHTSA ID
11502798
Incident
Jan 20, 2023
Driver assistance
Filed Dec 7, 2022

I was driving on the highway going about 70mph and the automatic brake/ collision prevention went off and tried to stop my car for seemingly no reason. There were no cars or objects in front of me. The orange break alert flashed in the dash and car slowed abruptly. Thankfully no one was behind me. The only thing I can think of was the shadows on the road. This is the third time an event like this has happened to me. I made the dealership aware this happened after the second time and I was told i just wasn't use to the safety features. I have owned this car for a year now and am beyond use to the safety features, this is flat out unsafe and seriously concerns me. I do really like this car otherwise but I drive a lot for work and if it happens again, I am going to seriously consider selling it. Honda needs to fix this.

NHTSA ID
11496463
Incident
Dec 2, 2022
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Dec 6, 2022

I saw the investigation of hat the NTSB is opening into problems with the CRV and a handful of other vehicles. I think you should add the Honda accord hybrid (touring) to this investigation. I was driving on a road with speed limit of 55 mph. In full evening traffic. My check engine light flashed on, and I immediately called the dealership to set an appointment. Within one minute of that light coming on, I lost all acceleration power, it just dropped off in the middle of the high flow of fast traffic with no shoulder. I had to find a way to force people to let me over going less than 5 mph to get to a safe shoulder. Then my car just stopped. I was on the phone with the service department at Honda when this happened and they were like, yeah sometimes that just happens. You get to the side of the road within a minute or it will shut off while driving. They made it seem like it was a super common and well known problem. That is ridiculously dangerous. I mean, ridiculously dangerous. I was absolutely terrified I would be slammed by a car on the highway. I got my car to the dealership for a full diagnostic, that they tried to charge me for, but they didn’t find anything. And they said it was probably nothing because they had no proof it happened. That is about it, nothing too terrible, but that has way more potential problems than my scary incident alone. Thank you.

NHTSA ID
11496334
Incident
Aug 30, 2022
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 27, 2022

The contact rented a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle independently activated the braking without warning. While driving at night on the freeway and changing lanes, the failure recurred. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 13,700.

NHTSA ID
11476126
Incident
Mar 1, 2022
Mileage
13,700 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Apr 27, 2022

Braking at intersections without car being present in front. Sometimes car in traffic driving toward intersection and car in right hand turn lane. When the car in turn turns at intersection away from my vehicle my vehicle slows or completely stops. It has done the same while making left hand turn in intersection with no car in oncoming lane.

NHTSA ID
11462424
Incident
Jan 16, 2022
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 25, 2022

Phantom Braking when using Adaptive Cruise control. The vehicle brakes unexpectedly when adaptive cruise control is enabled. Typically happens when there is no leading vehicle in my lane, but there are vehicles ahead of me in other lanes. Happens consistently, almost every time the adaptive cruise is enabled. The system also applies brakes in situations when cruise control is not enabled, and there is no leading vehicle in front of me. Issue can surprise drivers behind me and lead to a collison where I am hit from behind.

NHTSA ID
11454044
Incident
Feb 15, 2022
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 24, 2021

Incident 1: Car suddenly applied brakes while traveling at 60 MPH on the fast lane. There was no vehicle in the front for at least 50 ft. ahead. Incident2: Car suddenly applied brakes while traveling at about 40 MPH. Again no vehicle in the front for at least 100 ft. in the front. Worried about the vehicles colliding from the rear and the whiplash effect on the neck, because the braking was not expected. Contacted the dealer. First time I was told to bring it in for check up. I did not take it because I wanted to do it at the first oil change. Second time happened about 3 weeks ago. Contacted the dealer. Asked the dealer whether the safety feature can be turned off. He said he will get back to me next day. He never did. Sent a subsequent message "???" but no reply. Then I called this morning. He said he is with a client and will get back to me in 30 mins. He did not. Then I sent a message saying that I am disappointed with the after sales service with the dealership on this safety issue and that I will inform NTSB about this problem.

NHTSA ID
11430390
Incident
May 25, 2021

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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